Catentment And Catastrophe
by Rivenchu
Summary: Filia is having a good day until Zelas Metallium dumps a 'pet' on her doorstep for her to look after for a month....
1. Favors, Bags, and Closets

Author's Notes: Eeek! I can't help it! This idea has buzzed around in my head in form or another. So I've decided to kick it out onto paper... errr, the computer! Wah! 

~ ~ ~ (...ideas plague me until I write them...) ~ ~ ~

"I can't believe you allowed this to happen! Out of your whole life, never before have you failed me this badly! This wasn't even a hard mission! ..." Zelas paced the room yelling, her hand with the cigarette waving around to emphasize her point.

Xellos stood in the middle of the room flinching at each new verbal assault. He never looked up at Zelas, even when she walked in front of him.

"I'll have to punish you!" Zelas grabbed the front of his shirt and lifted him off the ground. Xellos didn't even fight her, he just looked at her and swallowed. 

"I have to think of a different punishment." Zelas stated as she let go and looked down at her servant. Xellos landed on his hands and knees. Zelas grinned when he looked up at her, she had gotten a really good idea...

~ ~ ~ (*inches away from Zelas*) ~ ~ ~ 

Filia Ul Copt milled around her store fixing merchandise and displays. Her store would open in an hour or two, so she was setting up for another day. She almost dropped a teacup when she heard a knocking at the door. Frowning slightly she walked over and said "We're not open yet."

"I'm not here to buy any of your wares. I must ask a small favor of you." The soft voice from the other side of the door said.

Filia opened the door. A woman wearing a long white dress with many bracelets on her arms and ankles stood there. "What is the favor?"

"I want you to look after one of my," the woman paused for a second and then smiled in an amused way. "pets."

"I can't take care of anything large." Filia said.

"He's not big, he's only 2 feet tall when he stands up on two legs." the woman held her hand to about two feet.

"I don't know. If it has a lot of special needs I'm so busy I may forget." Filia hesitantly replied.

"Don't worry about that. Will you take care of him for me?" the woman asked.

"How long?" Filia was looked thoughtful. "And I have a young son in the house as well."

"About a month, not long. I'm sure your child won't be any problem to him."

"Well I suppose I could..." Filia slowly said.

"Thank you. I'll be back in a month." the woman smiled and turned away. 

"Wait what is your name? Where is he and what is his name?"

"He is right there," she pointed at the plain brown bag on her door step that didn't seem to be there before, " and I am Zelas Metallium." then Zelas was gone. 

"Zelas Metallium!" Filia paled. "I couldn't sense a Dark Lord at my door step?" she then looked hesitantly at the bag. She took a step back when it moved and watched it cautiously.

The bag continued to move around, its movements getting more frantic with every second.

Filia then noticed one side of the bag was tied up, so whatever was in there couldn't get out. 'But if a Dark Lord gave it to me it must be dangerous.' so Filia continued to stare. The bag finally fell off the step it was on when it thrashed around too much. After it fell it didn't move. 

Filia started to feel a little guilty, maybe it wasn't a horrible death trap after all. She began to reach for it, but was startled when a wail began. The second one was just as forlorn a yowl as the first, by the time the third began Filia made up her mind. She picked up the bag by the rope and brought it in her house.

'Whatever it is it sounds like a cat.' Filia carried the silent bag, it had stopped wailing when she picked it up. She lifted it up onto her kitchen counter, which wasn't hard the bag wasn't heavy, and then stared at it. 'But then again it could be trick.' 

The bag started to move again, and let out another wail. Filia quickly caught it in both her arms before it fell off of the counter. 'I can feel an animal in here...' She began to untie the bag. 'I just hope this isn't a trap.' She finished untying the bag's rope and stepped away from it.

She watched it move and saw it halt before it left the bag. 

"Filia-mama! Filia-mama!" Val rushed in the room waving a shirt around. "My shirt has a hole..." He stopped when he saw Filia looking at him with a very startled expression. He then saw something else sprawled out on the floor. "We have a kitty now?!" Val pointed. Filia whipped around and saw what Val was pointing at.

With large ears that were sticking straight up from the side of his head and a very fluffy furry tail that was puffed up, Xellos stared back at them with his cat-like eyes. He was dressed normally except he wore no gloves or shoes on but had furry paws instead, his front paws were a little more like hands than his back paws. And all the new addition's fur was also purple like his hair.

"Xellos?!" Filia stared at him shocked.

Val hopped over to Xellos and started rubbing his head. "Is Xellos a girl's or boy's name Filia-mama?" Xellos shuffled back away from Val into a wall.

"No Val he's just a stray that is going back outside." Filia walked over and picked up Xellos by the scruff of the neck.

"Mom can't we keep him? Isn't mean to just put him back out?" Val scurried along Filia's side as she carried the yowling and struggling Xellos.

"Go back upstairs Val." Filia said when she reached the door. Val pouted but turned and headed upstairs.

Filia lifted Xellos to her eye level and glared. Xellos glared back, not moving at all except for an angrily swishing tail. "Listen namagomi, I don't know what you or Zelas Metallium have planned but you aren't getting Val."

"And I don't to want to be here either." Xellos replied.

"So you can still talk." Filia clucked her tongue as she opened the door. "Oh well." She said as she threw him out.

Xellos yowled in protest, before landing on all four feet. He turned around and glared at the door to Filia's shop. Turing around with his tail still waving angrily, he started to saunter off until a voice stopped him.

"Are you sure you want to leave? Even if it means your presence will become known to Dolphin and Dynast?" 

Xellos froze and looked towards the shadow within the shadows of the building.

"If you get to far from Filia you'll be out of the spell's range, it's your choice. "The shadow started to fade into the others. "But I will say, I don't feel like creating another servant." 

Xellos's ears and tail drooped as he turned around. He curled up on the doorstep with a sigh and waited.

~ ~ ~ (Kawaii Half Neko Xellos!!!) ~ ~ ~

The shop had opened but there were no customers at all, not even Val was here, he had gone out to play. Filia let out a bored sigh from behind the counter. She glanced out the window and saw the same crowd of people that had been there ever since the shop opened.

Finally giving in to her curiosity she finally walked over to the window and opened it. "Excuse me, but what is everyone out here doing?"

The guy who isn't important enough for a name turned around and replied "There is a weird little cat on your doorstep Miss. Filia. We don't know how long it's been there, but it is very strange."

Filia had an idea of who it was and frowned. She walked over to the door and opened it, confirming her suspicions. Xellos was curled up, Val sat right next to him scratching his head.

Val looked up at Filia when she opened the door. "Aw Filia-mama... can't we keep him? He didn't leave after you threw him out, I think he wants to stay."

"Val," Filia began. She stopped when she heard whispers of 'I thought she was a kind person, how could she abandon...' and similar comments. 

Not wanting to get a bad reputation that would hurt her business she gave in. "You stay out here Val." And then in a louder voice she said "I'll be closed temporarily, come back later." She picked up the quiet Xellos and walked back into the store.

~ ~ ~ (Minna Sha-la-la-la-la...can't help it, I'm listening to that song now) ~ ~ ~

Filia walked back towards the kitchen counter and dropped Xellos on it. She then closed the blinds so anyone else wouldn't see.

"What do you want? And don't you dare say that is a secret." Filia's mace was out as she glared at Xellos.

"I don't want anything," Xellos backed up a little and waved his hands in front of him when mace-sama got closer. "Really."

"What are you up to?" Filia started to move forward.

"Nothing." Xellos continued to back up as Filia got closer.

"Why are you here then?" Filia continued to advance.

"You wouldn't believe me." Xellos reached the edge of the counter.

"Try me." Filia hefted her mace up high.

"I'm being punished because I failed a mission." Xellos quickly squeaked out shirking away from the mace over his head.

Filia blinked and stopped to examined him for a second. With his hands over his head, lowered ears, and a puffed up tail, he was curled up. Against her better judgement she lowered her mace. "How are you being punished then?"

Xellos relaxed a little and looked at her. "Well I'm... sort of... stripped of some of my powers," his ears which had perked up a little earlier now drooped, "I have to stay within a certain range of... you," his ears drooped more as well as his tail, "and I've kind of... been... made mortal." Xellos finished talking and looked up at a stunned Filia. 

Filia just stood there until she cracked up. "You mean," she giggled, "to tell me," she giggled again, "that your pretty much helpless now." 

"I'm not helpless! I can still fight." Xellos hissed standing up. 

"Yeah but you..." Filia trailed off. "You said you have to stay near me?"

Xellos sat back down and nodded.

"No way. You'll..." Filia angrily began.

"If you throw me back outside, I'll just stay in front of your house." Xellos crossed his arms.

Filia bit back a reply. If she did that her business clients may leave to go to a different store. "Fine you can stay! I live here so you'll have do what I say!"

"No I don't have too-hey!" Xellos found himself one again being lifted by the scruff of the neck.

"I will not have you ruin my day or destroy my wares. You are staying upstairs in this." Filia picked up the bag.

Xellos yowled and flailed. "Filia, not the bag! Do you even know what it is like in there?!" 

Filia managed to get him inside, but he stuck his head right back out "Filia if you knew-oof!" Filia pushed him back in and managed to tie the cord. 

Filia couldn't help but smirk as she walked upstairs. Though muffled slightly she could hear Xellos's angry protests, but by the time she reached the guestroom he was silent.

Opening the closet she placed the bag inside and closed the door. She sighed and thought 'Maybe I could have just left him in the closet. Perhaps the bag is a little too extreme...' she heard Xellos call out Filia again, this time he seemed a bit more frantic. "I should re-open the store now." she muttered to herself as she walked to the door of the room.

From inside the closet, inside the bag, Xellos heard footsteps leaving the room. With the thought of having to stay in the suffocating bag for a while, Xellos felt another forlorn wail coming. After another useless attempt to get out, he settled down and started to let out another wail.

Filia was halfway down the stairs when she heard the first cry. Gritting her teeth she turned around, marched back to the room and threw the closet door open. Grabbing the bag just as the third cry began, she walked over and dropped it on the bed. She then quickly closed the door and began to untie the bag again. When she finished she crossed her arms and looked down just as Xellos scrambled out.

"Do you have to do that, sound whatever it was?" 

"I couldn't help it." Xellos quietly replied.

"What do you mean by that?" Filia arched an eyebrow at him.

"Well I believe Juu-ou-sama left some cat instincts that I have no control over." Xellos's ears drooped as he looked down and away.

"Well that doesn't change anything." Filia once again picked up Xellos by the scruff of the neck and put him back into the closet. "I'll let you out at the end of the day, so don't do that eerie sound again."

"But Filia..." Xellos whined again as he clawed the door. He looked around the medium sized yet empty closet. He sighed and sat down 'At least it's better than that bag.' His ear twitched, irritated by a speck of dust and without a second thought he started scratching it with his back paw. He froze mid-scratch and turned to stare at his foot in disbelief.

~ ~ ~ (Anyone get the name now?) ~ ~ ~

There will be future chapters, though they may not all be as long as this. There will be humorous and serious scenes. Xellos will be picked on alot, just a warning to all you Xellos fans.


	2. Out Of The Closet Into The Milk!

Author's Notes: Well chapter two is here! ^o^ Yay!!!! 

~ ~ ~ (Get along try again.) ~ ~ ~

Xellos restlessly paced the closet on all four feet. 'How long have I been in here?' He looked at the door and scratched it again, adding several more grooves to the many that were already there. 

{Just a note Xellos can easily walk on two feet or four. But he normally walks on two feet and runs on four, unless stated other wise. He normally sits like a cat most of the time, unless other wise stated.} 

'She can't keep me in here forever.' He stalked over to a corner and sat down leaning against the wall. His tail furiously swishing back and forth, while his ears were almost flat. 

~ ~ ~ (Wonder what Filia is doing) ~ ~ ~

Filia waved good bye to a customer and smiled. Today had been very profitable. 

"Filia-mama…" Val whined pulling his mother's skirt to get her attention. "Can't I see the kitty Xellos now?"

Filia rubbed her temples "No Val, Filia-mama is busy."

"Awww… but it's almost the end of the day!!!" Val pulled harder. "And it's almost dinner time."

"Val…" Filia began.

Val put on his best little hopeful begging face. "Pleeeeeeeeeease?" He stuck out his bottom lip.

"Fine, you set the table and I'll make dinner." Filia gave in to the young kawaii Ancient Dragon. 

"What about Kitty Xellos?" Val persisted.

"I'll go get him you wait down here." Filia sighed, closing her eyes.

"Yaaay!!" Val hopped up down. "I get to see Kitty Xellos!"

Filia walked upstairs leaving the bouncing Val downstairs. Opening the door she sneaked into the guestroom and put her ear to the closet. When she heard nothing she cautiously opened the door and looked in. 

She saw Xellos sleeping in the corner half curled up, luckily what Filia didn't see was the lacerated inside of the door. Opening the door all the way she walked in the closet and over to Xellos. 

She waved her hand in front of his face to make sure he was sleeping, and his ear twitched in reply. Hoping he really was asleep, she slipped her arms under him and picked him up. When she did she couldn't help but notice how light he was. And his fur, which had a healthy sheen, was really soft and fluffy. 

Filia stood there for a second before snapping out of her daze and walking out of the room. 'Xellos was always cat-like.' She thought absently as she remembered her travels with Lina and the others. His eyes were always cat-like, the fluid grace, and occasionally his mannerisms. {'Cat-just-ate-the-canary' smile ^_^}

She walked down the stairs to where Val was eagerly waiting. 

Val stood on his tiptoes and tried to look up. Val whispered. "He's sleeping?" 

Filia nodded. "But we're going to make dinner now. I'm going to leave him right here." Filia put him down in the living room corner.

"Can't we put him on a chair or couch?" Val asked tugging his mother's sleeve.

"No." Filia took Val's hand and walked into the kitchen to make dinner.

~ ~ ~ (*stomach growls* Wai! I'm hungry now!!) ~ ~ ~

Xellos's nose twitched. He yawned and stretched arching his back. He absently began to clean his paw before he noticed he wasn't in the closet anymore. Before he didn't get to see Filia's house, being carried in a most undignified manner will distract someone like that. His nose twitched again as he smelled food. 

'I'm hungry.' Xellos realized. Then in a more unhappy tone he thought. 'I have to eat like mortal now?' When his stomach growled in agreement. 

Stalking over to the door her peered in and saw Filia and Val having dinner. Continuing to creep around, he slunk into the kitchen and was almost to cupboards until a cry of "Look, Kitty Xellos is awake Filia-mama!!!" startled him. 

When he turned to the sound's origin he saw a 7-year old rushing towards him. Before he could move Val had gripped him in hug, and all Xellos could do was let out a squeak of surprise.

Filia was doing her best not to laugh when she saw this happen. Val was doing his best to lift Xellos off the ground. It wasn't working to well, Val only had gripped Xellos under the arms in the hug. Xellos was surprised, the expression on his face and the fizzed out tail confirmed it. 

"Val put him down." Filia managed to get out after half of a minute. 

"We need to get him something to eat! I bet he's hungry!" Val released his grip on Xellos and hurried over to the cupboard. He pulled out a shallow bowl and then hurried over to the bottle of milk they had gotten that morning. 

"Val honey, namago-" Filia hesitated for a second before correcting herself "Xellos doesn't need to eat or drink." 

Val had poured some milk into the bowl. "But Filia-mama. It's mean not too." Val placed the bowl in front of Xellos, and then hopped onto Filia's lap. 

While Filia and Val were talking, Xellos was having a problem. 'I can't grip good with my hands.' Xellos thought looking at his front paw-hands. He looked down at the bowl 'It's demeaning to eat on the floor like this too.' 

A sharp hunger pang changed his thoughts back to eating. Xellos stared at the bowl as he thought. 'I might spill it if I try to lift it, and if I do spill Filia would probably get angry. Then I wouldn't get anything at all.' By now he had leaned over the bowl enough he could smell the milk.

Another hunger pang announced itself. Xellos abandoned his dignity and began lapping up the milk. Luckily most of his hair was kept from going into the milk by his ears, except for a few strands.

Val noticed "See look he's eating it!" He bounced and pointed at Xellos who was currently oblivious to everything but food. 

"Why so he is…" Filia frowned slightly confused.

Xellos finished and began rubbing a clean his paw over his head, until he noticed Filia and Val were watching him. He stopped and looked away, ears slightly drooping.

Val squirmed out of his mother's arms and bounded over to Xellos. "I'll help take good care of him!" Val plopped down and hugged the half-neko mazoku.

"It's late you should go to bed Val." Filia stood up and walked over.

"Aww… do I have to?" Val looked up with puppy dog eyes, while Xellos was trying to back out of the Ancient Dragon's hug.

"Yes you do you have school tomorrow." Filia replied in a stern voice.

Val let go of Xellos and obediently trudged upstairs to get ready for bed.

"Now what am I going to do with you Xellos?" Filia looked down at him.

"You could just leave me here." Xellos replied standing up to two feet.

Filia snorted "And let you destroy my vases? No way would I let you do that!"

"Let me stay in the guestroom then?" Xellos craned his neck to look up at Filia.

"You'd ruin the bed, the closet could work though." Filia looked thoughtful.

"I've been in there all day. I wouldn't be able to stand all night too." Xellos glared upwards with flattened ears while his tail started swishing angrily.

Filia leaned down, with her arms behind her back and grinned "A certain bag…"

Xellos paled slightly before replying angrily "Not unless you want me to keep you up all night."

"That leaves only one choice then, outside."

"That would be mean! It gets cold out there!" 

"You have fur don't you?" 

"Well…" Xellos looked at the purple fur on his front paw-hands. "Yeah."

For the fifth time that Filia picked up Xellos by the scruff of the neck, walked to door, opened it, and dropped him on the doorstep. "I'll see you tomorrow then." She said when she closed the door.

Grumbling, Xellos curled up on the doorstep and waited.

~ ~ ~ (Filia will warm up to him… soon hopefully) ~ ~ ~

Author's Notes: Still going, I have several more ideas for future chapters! But I would love to hear any other idea from readers! ^_^


	3. Bows, Bells, Mirrors, And The Evil Leath...

Author's Notes: I'll just say again chapter length may fluctuate from time to time. I don't own Slayers either. But I do own my pictures of half neko Xellos I drew! I just don't have a site to put them on. *shrugs and wanders off*

~ ~ ~ (Mrow?) ~ ~ ~

Val was up early the next day, and rushed through his daily morning activities. Filia came in his room just in time to see wriggling into a shirt.

"What's the hurry Val?" Filia asked when Val hopped by trying to get a shoe on.

"I'm going to visit Amia before school starts! I want her to see Kitty-Xellos." Val was hopping the other way trying to get his other shoe on.

He took some books from his desk and pushed them into a gray-green sack. "Filia-mama?"

"Yes?" Filia automatically began to fuss about his appearance, straightening his shirt, and carefully brushing his neglected hair around the horn.

"Can Amia stay for breakfast?" Val put on a specially made vest with sewn holes in the back that were barely visible.

"Sure, but Val…" Filia began as he opened the window.

"I'll be back soon Filia-mama!" he leapt out of window the carrying the sack in his hands. 

Filia wasn't worried at all when her son jumped out of the window. She walked to window and saw Val flapping over rooftops. "That's another shirt I have to mend. And a good thing that the villagers don't mind having two dragons in their village." 

~ ~ ~ (Val is free to fly all he wants!) ~ ~ ~

Val soared overhead looking for a particular roof. Spotting it he dived down and hovered off the ground a second before landing. Walking up to the door he knocked and waited.

A tall man opened the door and looked around, then down and saw Val. "Hello Valentine, come in." 

Val winced at his full name, but walked in. "Hello Amia's dad. Is Amia up yet?"

"She's in the other room" the man replied.

Val walked over and saw a girl around his height brushing her brown hair. "Amia I want you to come and see something really quickly. You can have breakfast at my house."

Amia blinked her blue eyes. "Val? You're here early, I already had breakfast too."

"It's a Kitty I want to show you…" Val said.

"A kitty? Let me get some of stuff!" She rushed out of the room and was back in under a minute. Saying good bye to her parents she ran out of the house with Val.

~ ~ ~ ( =^-^= ) ~ ~ ~

Xellos's ears twitched and moved forward when he heard something coming towards him. Whatever it was it got closer and louder. Xellos opened one eye to look at whatever was coming. When he saw two kids barreling directly towards him he bolted to up from his laying down curled up position to a more wary four foot stance. 

Val and Amia skidded to halt and knelt down in front of the neko-like mazoku.

"Awww…is it a boy or girl?" Amia picked up one of Xellos's paw (much to his displeasure) and looked at it.

"Xellos is a boy Kitty." Val replied.

"Awww…. He's such a cute widdle kitty-witty." Amia ruffle his hair and then looked around in her bag. " And I have just the color! It will go with his purple fur and help him stand out. Can you hold him still for me?"

'What will?' Xellos thought just before Val pinned him down. Val look up and said "Amia, I just want Filia-mama to like Kitty-Xellos. I'll return it tomorrow, okay?"

Xellos felt Amia wrap something around his neck that jingled. He began to hiss and try to back out of Val's grip. "Hold him still, and don't worry about Val. You can keep it. I have a lot of them. And he won't be able to get it off, only a person can. Ok I'm done!"

"Let's go in for breakfast." Val carefully picked up Xellos as Amia opened the door.

"I already had breakfast, and besides I need to go talk to the teacher anyway. Bye Val!" Amia closed the door and walked off.

"Bye Amia!" Val walked into the kitchen where the smell of breakfast. "Filia-mama!"

"Yes Val?" Filia turned around… and through a supreme effort managed not to laugh. Xellos was fuming in Val's arms wearing a large light blue bow that had a large marble sized bell on the front of it.

Val put Xellos down and hurried to his breakfast. Xellos then proceeded to have a hissy fit with the bow. He rolled over, hissed, tumbled over, tried to scratch it off with his back feet, made a low yowling sound in his throat, and tried to reach the knot with his front claws. And every time the bell jingled merrily in reply.

Filia sat and watched Xellos. Val tugged on her arm. "Yes Val?"

"I hafta go to school now. Can you please give Kitty-Xellos some milk?" Val once again used his begging eyes.

"Okay Val." Filia agreed and watched Val lope out. She the stood up, took out another bowl, and filled it with milk. She then walked over to Xellos who had stopped trying to get the bow and was now glaring at the ground. With ears nearly flat against his head, his tail swiping around furiously and his angry expression, Filia could tell Xellos was not having a good time.

Placing the milk down in front of him she sat down and watched.

Xellos was surprised when he saw this. (He was \busy\ when Val asked Filia.) He looked up at Filia then back down at the milk previous thoughts of how undignified it was to eat on the ground returning to his mind. But then he remembered how good it was, and his stomach sent the 'don't-look-at-the-food-just-eat-it-cause-your-hungry' signal.

"Are you going to drink the milk or not?" Filia asked pointing to the milk in front of him.

Xellos looked away, ears still flat and tail still whipping back and forth.

"Well I'm going to put it away then." Filia reached over and picked up the milk.

"Wait!" Xellos leapt halfway on Filia's arm stopping her. "Put it back down, I'll drink it…" 

Filia put it back down. "I'm don't want it to spoil."

'If I'm going to be stuck like this, I just may have to throw my pride out the window for a long while.' Xellos thought resignedly as he began to lap up the milk.

Filia absently watched him. 'If I didn't know who or what he was, I probably would act differently. I always did like little small, cuddly, cute, furry things…' 

Xellos pushed the empty bowl away and started what all cats do after they eat. (Lick their paw and rub it over their head, then repeat.)

This snapped Filia out of her small daze. "Come on." She scooped up Xellos from behind before he could protest. "I'm going to put you back into the closet."

"Filia" Xellos whined not struggling much. (The full stomach feeling is new to him, it made him just want to lay down and sleep.) "That's mean."

Filia walked into the guestroom and closed the door with her foot. She then dropped Xellos on the bed, and in return he glared at her. She walked over, opened the closet, and saw what she had missed yesterday. 

"What happened in here…" She knelt down and examined the deep grooves in the door. She slowly turned around and growled out one word. "Xellos…"

"I couldn't help it." Xellos's ears flattened as he warily backed up and got ready to run.

"Wait, I can deal with this." Filia massaged her temples. "I just have to think of something else… I can't have you ruin my closet any more." After a minute of deep thinking where Xellos didn't budge from his 'ready-to-bolt' stance, Filia snapped her fingers. "I got it!" 

When Filia started to come towards him, Xellos leapt off the bed and dashed under it. He then warily glanced at her feet.

"Xellos!" Filia glared under the bed at the half-neko mazoku. She reached under the bed, managed to grab his left back foot and drag him out though it wasn't easy. Xellos was gripping the wooden floor as best as he could with his claws. Filia still got him out and lifted him up in an upside-down grip.

Xellos saw the world upside-down as she left the guestroom. He felt the blood rush to his head.

"I'm not going to leave you alone in my house namagomi." Filia grumbled as his tail swished against her face. Xellos managed to let out a mew of protest just before they entered Filia's room.

Filia closed the door, put Xellos on the floor, and began to rummage through her closet. While she did that Xellos shook his head to get rid of his disorientation and spotted full-length mirror near by.

Walking over he stared at his reflection. 'I really do almost look like a cat.' He opened his eyes and lifted his right front paw and placed it on the glass. 'I have no power and I can't even eat right anymore.' His ears drooped as he continued to stare at his reflection. 

When Filia finally found what she was looking for, she turned around and saw Xellos staring moreosely at his refectiom. 'He looks so sad. Maybe he isn't up to anything, or this could be a trick to feel sorry for him. Then he could carry out his evil scheme without trouble. Well I won't fall for it!' Filia slung the item over her shoulder, strode over behind him and lifted him up.

Xellos didn't protest until he saw what she had on her other shoulder. "Filia what is that?" Xellos stared at the brown leather rope-like object. 

Filia didn't reply. She only started walking down the stairs.

"You aren't going to use that are you?" Xellos tried to get a better look at it, but Filia stopped him and didn't reply again.

Xellos started to get worried. "You aren't going to tie me up like a some sort of animal are you?!" 

"No." By now they were back in the shop area of the house and Xellos once again was on the counter.

"Put your arms out in front of you and look up." Filia said.

"Why should I?" Xellos crossed his arms and glared at her.

Mace-sama came out from it hiding spot and found itself hovering under Xellos's nose.

"Good enough reason." Xellos quickly said and complied with her wishes.

"I can't have you destroy my house. I want you to be where I can keep an eye on you."

Xellos felt something brush his arms and then tighten around his chest. "Filia, you said you wouldn't tie me up." He whined.

"I'm not." Filia said when she picked him up again and put him on the floor. "You can look now."

"Filiaaaa! You said you wouldn't!" Xellos looked at the brown leather strip that ran from a metal loop on the counter to the straps on his chest.

"And I didn't. The rope is tied to counter, and your are strapped in one of those … I forget the word for it."

Xellos glared at Filia and then at the rope.

"One thing Xellos," Filia said as she opened the door and flipped the 'Open' sign. "Don't hurt any of my customers."

Xellos just made a low yowling sound.

Filia picked up her mace again. 

"Only if they bug me." Xellos crossed his arms and leaned back on the counter.

Filia sat down in a chair and pulled out a book, waiting for her first customer of the day.

~ ~ ~ (Xellos just isn't having a good day is he?) ~ ~ ~

Author's Notes: Not much to say, things will get better after they get worse. O_o Wait you didn't hear me say that. *glances around* Reviews will fuel my need to write more. ^_^ So please leave one.


	4. A Nice Lady, Cali-what, And The Scary Gu...

Author's Notes: Chapter 4 is here! I don't own the Slayers so don't sue little ol me! Viperwolf Amia is just a random handy plot character, so she isn't Lina's and Gourry's daughter. Ihvnnm no this wasn't a result of any sugar or sleep deprivation. This idea has buzzed around in my head for quite a bit. Nothing else to say, so on to the fic! *stands on a cliff and points upwards as lightning crashes in the background*

~ ~ ~ (Can it get worse?) ~ ~ ~

Xellos was almost, but not quite dozing on the floor. It had been a pretty uneventful day so far. Filia had warned any customers not to get close to him under the excuse that she didn't know if he'd attack or not.

So all he had done was sit around for most of the day and be bored. Though when he had tried to bite through the leather strap Filia got mad and waved mace-sama around a bit to change his mind.

Stretching lazily he looked at some of the vases that lined the shelves, then to the tea, books, and finally the mace section. Getting a prickly feeling on the back of his neck he turned and saw Filia hurriedly look back down at her book. 

Frowning he looked at her when his ear twitched and then twitched again. He mentally sighed, ignored the cat instinct response and scratched the itchy spot with his hand-paw. Not even a minute later, his ear twitched again, still itchy. He scratched it again with his hand-paw, but like before it was still itchy. Giving into his new found cat instincts he scratched with his back foot this time, and not only did it work, it was much more satisfying. The only bad thing about this was it caused the bell to jingle. Xellos glared at the bell, which was another reason why he wasn't moving around as much.

Filia heard the bell and was about to look up at Xellos when the door opened and two people walked in. Filia closed her book, stood up, and walked over to the elderly looking couple.

"Hellos Mr. and Mrs. Cetrition. How may I help you today?" Filia nodded her head respectfully. 

"Hello Filia dear." Mrs. Cetrition looked kindly at Filia. "I'd love to buy some of your raspberry tea today."

"I'm here to do my job." Mr. Cetrition was looking curiously at Xellos. "I'll be back in ten minutes." He walked back out.

"Don't mind him dear." The woman watched her husband leave.

Filia was sorting through the racks to find the raspberry tea so she didn't see Mrs. Cetrition walk over close to Xellos.

"Dearie you cat doesn't look happy." 

"He's not mine." Filia replied. "Please don't get to close to him…"

"Nonsense. I know a lot about animals. Especially cats. For one thing most cats don't like to be confined or have anything wrapped around them." Mrs. Cetrition pointed to the bow. "May I take that off of him?"

"I guess…" Filia replied. "But he might attack."

Xellos's ears flattened at the first comment. 'I'm not an animal, I'm a mazoku.' His ears perked up a little when he heard she had offered to take off the bow, so he allowed her to get close. 

Mrs. Cetrition knelt down next to Xellos and started to untie the bow. "I can tell you some more about cats too dearie."

"Like what?" Filia was getting curious.

"Well if you pay attention enough, you can tell how they are feeling by their body language. See?" Mrs. Cetrition pointed at Xellos. "I can tell he's feeling happier now. His ears aren't folded back anymore."

Filia made a mental note to stop by and ask more about this subject.

Mrs. Cetrition finished untying the bow and without standing up handed it to Filia. "I bet he's a sweet cat. You just need to know how to get them relax."

'Like I'd ever relax around Filia.' Xellos sauntered away.

Filia raised an eyebrow. "Relax, I don't think that's even possible for Xellos to do." She glared at Xellos who glared right back at her.

Mrs. Cetrition smiled, reached out, and starting massaging behind Xellos's ears.

'Hey! What is she doing?! …That's actually kind of nice…" Xellos sat down and leaned into it a little.

"That isn't the right spot…" Mrs. Cetrition inched closer and started scratching under his chin.

'This is even better…" Xellos was laying down on his back now, he didn't even notice the faint purr he was giving off.

"I know what he is now."

"Eh?" Filia replied shocked, staring at the mostly oblivious Xellos.

"A tummy rubber." Mrs. Cetrition started rubbing Xellos's stomach area.

Xellos flinched but then stretched out and his resounding purr filled the shop while Filia stared on still slack jawed.

"I'm back." Mr. Cetrition walked back in carrying a book. "And I think I know what your cat is Ms. Ul Copt."

"Really?" Filia snapped out of and frantically thought. 'If he knows Xellos is a mazoku then it will ruin my reputation!'

"Yes he is a calinneko, a very uncommon species." Mrs. Cetrition put the book down on the counter and the three people gathered around it to read. 

Xellos blinked when Mrs. Cetrition stopped. Rolling back over onto his feet he looked up at the trio gathered around the book on the counter. 'Calinneko? What is that?' Xellos wondered.

__

Calinneko 

An uncommon specie of cat that is quite intelligent, nimble, quick, agile, and elusive. Temperaments vary from one individual to another. The most common fur colors are green, gray, brown, black, orange, blue, and blonde. Uncommon fur colors are platinum, bright red, and violet. They usually have a tabby pattern, tiger stripes, spots, or a mix of all three in their fur. It is rare to find a solid color coated calinneko. 

They usually have tufts of fur on the tip of the ear and extremely long fur that is much like human hair that grows on the head. Their front paws are remarkable, they can function like a hand in almost every way that a human's can while retaining re-tractable claws. Their furless almost human-like faces are one of the only furless area of the body, the only others being the neck and paw pads on the bottom of their feet. They lack whiskers, and like most cats the nose is cooler than the normal body temperature. The front teeth are also much like a human's, but the canine teeth and all the teeth behind it are that of a predator's sharp shape. 

Usually calinnekos wear clothes just as we humans do and can pass off as young human children if they disguise their paws, tail, and ears. Some gain the ability to speak if they are around humans long enough, though they naturally will make cat sounds. 

They can easily travel on two or four feet, though their four foot sprint can easily out distance many fleet-footed humans. They usually sit much like a house cat and not as a human, their tails getting bent into a slightly painful angle unless precaution is taken. 

Calinnekos are believed to be a higher evolution of the cat beast-man. Though smaller, they have a lighter more delicate skeleton and build. Through several tests it is proven that they have a quicker response time and can solve problems quicker than their larger cousins cat beast-man.

Few are rarely caught and brought into captivity due to their elusiveness, speed, and cleverness to avoid traps, so their original area is unknown. Little known about their culture, family life, or any social activities. It is believed that they wander the world.

Excerpt from 'It's A Cat's World' by Felix Celnad

The three people looked away from the book and down at Xellos.

Xellos's ears drooped a little and looked away rubbing his arm self-consciously under the combined three stares.

"Well calinneko or not I have to do my job." Mr. Cetrition handed the book to his wife and lifted Xellos (who had opened his eyes) onto the edge of the counter. Taking his light shiner (a small box that focuses a simple light spell) he shined it into the 1/2 neko (now know as a calinneko) mazoku's ear. 

Xellos made a low yowling sound in his throat and started to back away. 'Who does this guy think he is?'

Mr. Cetrition being a vet of many years had expected this and maneuvered in advance to be in another position. 

Xellos softly yowled again but caught sight of Filia mouthing 'Stand still.' Xellos narrowed his eyes in return. Filia then pulled out her mace and began to polish it while giving Xellos a meaningful 'do-it-or-else' look.

'…When I'm back to normal…' Xellos angrily thought while Mr. Cetrition looked in his other ear.

"Good, no ear mites or other parasites. Need to check his teeth now…"

Xellos resisted the urge to bite down hard on the vet's hand when he checked his mouth.

"No cavities at all, very healthy looking teeth and tongue. Serika could you give me a hand?" Mr. Cetrition looked over to his wife.

Mrs. Cetrition or Serika nodded and walked behind Xellos. 

Xellos glanced from the vet's face to his wife's face. 'They've got me surrounded, what are the going to do?' he though nervously as his tail began to puff up and his ears folded back a little. 

While he was looking at Mr. Cetrition, Serika moved in quickly and got Xellos into a gentle but firm hold. (Basically she was just gripping him under the arms from behind him while he was in a sprawled out position.)

Xellos had his second hissy fit of the day. 'Couldn't have Juu-ou-sama left me with decent physical strength at least?!' After a few minutes he calmed down and panted to catch his breath. Though his tail was now furiously sweeping the counter as he leaned back into Serika's grip.

Mr. Cetrition took full advantage of this opportunity and lifted Xellos's shirt off a little and began to poke and prod him in the way vets do. 

Xellos yowled and started to flail again. Mr. Cetrition ignored this and caught one of Xellos's back paws and studied it. He poked the pink pad and watched the reflex, his toes curled back towards it. After that he checked Xellos's nose to see if it was damp and cold.

When Xellos had calmed down again, Mr. Cetrition resumed the poking and prodding. This time Xellos just sat there, obvious very displeased. Taking the light shiner again Mr. Cetrition shined it into Xellos eyes. Xellos closed his eyes and jerked back. Used to this response the vet repeated the process and held open Xellos's eye. "His eyes are the same color as his fur."

Mr. Cetrition motioned Filia over. "He appears to be healthy. And I believe he has a solid coat color as well, so you may have quite a find here." Mr. Cetrition ran his hand over the sleek and glossy violet fur on Xellos's stomach. Xellos yowled again and glared at the vet.

Mrs. Cetrition let go of Xellos who then scrambled away to a different section of the counter. 

"Yes, now that that's done, what else were we here for?" Mr. Cetrition was scribbling down a profile for Xellos.

"Oh yes here's the tea." Filia handed over the tea and received took the payment. "Oh, wait what do I owe for the vet service?" (Xellos hissed)

"Don't worry about it, feel free to bring him in any time. I'd love to study and do some research on him." Mr. Cetrition said as he and his wife walked out the door. (Xellos paled slightly.)

As soon as they left Filia said "Xellos can you get off the counter?"

Xellos didn't reply but instead just hopped off the counter and curled up. 

~ ~ ~ (A bowl of milk everyday won't keep the vet away.) ~ ~ ~

Author's Notes: Yay! ^_^ Yes, I know poor Xellie. Any ideas are welcome, if I use them I'll give credit, if I don't just tell me and I'll fix the problem. Yay readers actually like this! And if any of you people e-mail me, I may have a pic of half neko Xellos... ^_^ (I thought no one would care, but you guys actually like it!) 


	5. Hissy Fits, Brooms, Mission Fence Line,A...

Author's Notes: Mynuet, yes that is true. Xel should be glad the word 'neutered' didn't come up. And while I may be an author who likes to pick on Xel, I wouldn't do that to him. That would just plain ol' mean, but then again *laughs to herself* look what I did to him. *laughs again and falls off chair* Itai...Any way before I forget, I don't own the Slayers, but I own the plotline and all Calinnekos!!! *cackles and hops back on chair* 

~ ~ ~ (*purr* Tis fun write to write this!) ~ ~ ~

Filia was contemplating. Ever since the afternoon, the normally chatty, active, and cheerful Xellos was brooding, silent, and laying around like a rag doll. She wouldn't have thought anything of it except for his lack of any reaction to anything around him. 

Val had barreled home not to long ago and was trying to prod the unresponsive calinneko mazoku into some sort of action. He tried until Filia called him into the kitchen for dinner. Even then he half dragged in Xellos with him and put another bowl of milk down in front of Xellos's nose.

Filia tried to start a conversation. "So how was your day Val?"

"Fine."

"Did you do anything fun?"

"Recess."

"What did you do for recess?"

"Played a game."

"What game?"

"Don't know the name."

Filia gave up and they finished the meal in silence. After Val went upstairs to study for a spelling test he had tomorrow, Filia cleaned up the table.

She glanced down at Xellos who hadn't moved an inch from where Val put him and the milk still was sitting untouched in front of him. She rested her head on her hand sighed. She picked up the bowl and put it on the counter before she sat down in front of the mazoku.

Xellos cracked open one eye to look at her, but didn't move other than that.

"What bothered you to give such a temper tantrum?" Filia asked crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow.

"…" 

"Tell me now or…" Filia began threateningly. 

"Or what?" Xellos interrupted snapping both eyes open to glare. 

"Or I will…" Filia trailed off not having thought of a alternative. "I'll put you back in that bag."

"I don't doubt you will." 

Filia hadn't expected this reply and was silent.

"What could I do anyway? I don't even have the strength or power to fight back against a human much less a dragon or mazoku." Xellos got up and stood at his full height glaring at Filia. "What do you expect me to do?!" His last comment was more of a hiss than shout.

Surprised, Filia blinked and pulled back at his sudden outburst. So that is why he had been so silent all day. 

Xellos sat down and looked away falling back into his earlier mood. "I can't even sense things anymore." 

"…" Filia didn't know how to reply to that. She just sat and stared at him. 'Seeing him as he is now I almost forgot how strong he is. Appearances can be deceiving, especially with mazoku, I can't let him fool me.' 

Xellos continued to quietly sulk and sit in the middle of the kitchen floor. He would have stayed there too if he had been given the chance, but something pushed him forward suddenly. 

After the brief shock wore off he rolled to the side and saw that Filia was wielding a broom. "I didn't do anything! Why do you have that broom out?!" Xellos hissed as he backed up away from the broom.

"You didn't do anything, but you need to go outside." Filia moved quickly herding Xellos towards the door. 

"Why the broom then!" Xellos was backing up while looking at Filia and the broom in front of him. When he took his next step, his back foot stepped on air. Xellos took his eyes off of Filia to look back and see he was at the door's edge. 

Filia took advantage of Xellos's distraction give the final sweep that pushed him outside. 

That is how Xellos found himself tumbling backwards out the door. He wasn't thinking about the indignity of being swept out the house, nor being treated like some animal, no, he was more concerned about his tail. It wasn't supposed to be able to bend like a 'u' much less a 'v'. Unfortunately being swept out the door and flopping down a step or two and then finally landing heavily on his back did make his tail bend that way.

"Mrrrrrreorw!!" Xellos screeched rolling over to his hand-paws and knees immediately after he landed. 

He took a deep breath to calm down and sat up. From his kneeling position he rubbed the sore part of his tail (it was the near base or beginning of it) while glaring up at the door and muttered about self-centered dragons carrying brooms. 

~ ~ ~ (X_x Itai that must of hurt…) ~ ~ ~

Xellos was beginning to really not like any types of stairs, a few certain doorsteps to a certain Gold Dragon in particular. 

A sudden wind gust caused Xellos to shiver. His fur puffed up more as he curled into a smaller ball and huddled in the meager shelter that the doorsteps gave. (It gave a small corner between the wall and the foot and a half tall stairs.) Though winter was almost over, it was still very cold and yet Filia had still put him out here. 

Now he really wished he had milk, his stomach kept on growling. He also couldn't fall asleep. That left him to pondering in the small niche for the hour or tow he had been outside. 

'I can't stand it out here any longer.' Xellos opted to walk on four feet today rather than two so the strongest of the winds would pass over him. 

Walking around the house several times he had come to the conclusion that he could maybe get in by the side of the house via fence and clotheslines to a second story window. 

Xellos stared up at the tall fence. It was taller than 7 feet, closer to about 8 feet tall. 

'Can I even jump that high?' Xellos craned his head up to look at the mess of clothes lines. 'Only one way to find out.' 

Xellos crouched and then sprung like a coiled wire. He almost didn't make it, but with claws scrabbling against the wood he managed to get a grip at the top with one paw. When his second paw got a grip, he took a deep breath before hoisting himself up the rest of the way.

Taking another moment to gather his bearings, he stared at the clothesline that was a few feet away from the fence. He walked carefully closer to it balancing precariously on the fence. Calculating the distance, he tensed for a moment until he leapt across over to the line.

Having better luck this time he got a good grip immediately. Shifting his grip he tried to get his back feet on a nearby line. He than inched over to a window in the house. 

Letting go of the line he reached over to windowsill. Then he leaned a little more, and then a little more. When he finally was able to set paw on it he had leaned so far he lost his grip on the line.

Xellos dug his claws on his one paw into the wooden windowsill while quickly brought the other paw over so he didn't fall. 

'Why me?' Xellos thought as he wondered what to do as he was half suspended over the ground. Held up by his grip on the windowsill and his feet on the clothesline he looked down and sweat-dropped. 

'This just isn't my day.' Xellos thought letting go of the clothesline and scrambling up on the small windowsill. 

Looking back down he sighed in relief. Pushing against the window it didn't budge, frowning he kneeled and examined it. After a minute he realized what he doing wrong. 

'I must be worse off than I though, windows open out, not in.' Using an well-aimed claw he pried the window to open and slunk inside closing the window behind him.

He could already feel the temperature difference as his fur finally flattened out. His ears perked back up out of his hair where they had flattened to keep warm in the cold.

Deciding to go for stealth he started to look around the room for the door on all four feet. 

Finding the door Xellos reached up to open it, only to realize it was just out of his reach. Standing on his tip-toes as best as he could, but he could only graze the round knob with his finger tips. Frowning he came to the conclusion that it would be pointless to jump and try to turn it.

If he only knew what room he was in. Xellos walked over to the bed and looked up. He leapt up onto to the bed and came face to face with a sleeping Filia. Or rather the side of her face, Filia sleeping was on her back looking up at ceiling.

'…I guess I could hide out under the bed until morning.' He thought as he started to carefully turn around. (on 4 feet)

"Eeep!" Xellos squeaked as he felt an arm flop on top of him when he had halfway turned around. 

'I can deal with this.' He started to inch forward to the pillow until Filia muttered something.

"Fuzzy…" Filia reached over with her (or under rather) with her other arm and pulled Xellos close.

"Eeep." Xellos squeaked again. He found himself being snuggled like a stuffed animal. '…I can try sneak out of this without waking her up. I'll give her credit though, she has a good grip.' Xellos sweat-dropped and tried to wiggle out of the Gold Dragon's grip, but to no avail.

Xellos rested his head on one had-paw while drumming the fingers of his other on the bed trying to think of a way to escape. Minutes later despite the slightly vice like grip on his chest he found himself dozing off. 

'…can't go to sleep… shouldn't go to sleep…' Xellos thought sleepily. 'Falling asleep.' After that thought Xellos promptly fell asleep.

~ ~ ~ (*dramatic music* What will happen tomorrow morning?) ~ ~ ~

Author Notes: I need ideas to stall for time before I go to the second plot device. Any idea givers (even if I don't use it) I will worship. *bows to readers* And if I use your idea I give full credit. Unless I forget...if I do tell me and I'll fix my mistake. Thank you Tealya for your idea about the roof and sneaking into Filia's room. ¬_¬ ^.¬ ¬.^


	6. The Morning After And Val's Discovery

Author's Notes: Wow this is turning out better than I thought it would. ^_^ Thanks for the ideas all you who gave ideas. Oh Naoko Cat Girl and Alanna_Inverse I know about that, but I have plans... *cackles* And well other than I don't own the Slayers, I own the plot and almost everything in it! Mwuhahahahaha *cough cough* *whispers to herself* Mental note to self, work on evil maniacal laughter later. 

~ ~ ~ (*scribbling a note to practice maniacal laugh later*) ~ ~ ~

Despite various dreams of getting crushed (this happened when Filia rolled over him during the night or suddenly squeezed him too hard) Xellos woke up bright and early before the sun rose.

He blinked fuzzily a few times and curled up a little more. It was warm and soft a definite improvement from the cold wind and hard stone outside, so he didn't want to wake up yet. He yawned and drifted back into a semi sleep state.

Filia was having a dream, reliving a memory of her childhood. /+/+/ "But Mommy, why can't I have one?" A young dragon ran up to her mother lifting her paws to show the small animal to her.

"You don't know where that's been Filia. Besides it is wild, you can't keep something that's wild." The giant gold said to her hatchling.

"But why can't I have one that's alive!" Filia wailed stomping her feet.

"Filia Ul Copt, put that animal down this instant!" The large female gold dragon growled.

The young dragon looked sorrowfully at the small cat that fit into one paw. "I'm sorry." She carefully placed the cat back down on the ground. "Bye kitty..." she sniffed.

The older dragon handed Filia something she had been carrying. "Stay with this one Filia."

Filia sniffed again and snuggled the stuffed animal shaped like a cat. She looked down at the cat that had scampered off and rubbed her nose in the large stuffed animal. "At least your still here with me Caternity."

Filia blinked and pulled away from it staring at curiously. 'It's warm. It wasn't warm before.' She grinned and hugged the stuffed animal closer burying her face into it... /+/+/

Xellos opened his eyes and let out a strangled mew when Filia suddenly tightened her grip around his chest. 

'What the?' Xellos thought gasping. Blinking he tried see what was holding him, he froze when he remembered last night. 'Filia's going to kill me.'

'What am I going to do?!' Xellos frantically thought of some way to escape from sleeping dragon's vice grip. 

Filia nuzzled the back of his head with her nose and tightened her grip more.

Xellos found it very hard to breathe now. Not caring about the consequences, he tried to pry her hands off of him, then he tried to slip out of her grip. Not succeeding at either attempt, he gave up and laid there gasping for breath. Xellos quickly thought about his options, be hurt by an angry awake dragon, or be choked by a sleeping one. 

Filia blinked one eye open and sighed. She really didn't feel like getting out of bed yet. And she hadn't slept in for awhile, it was funny though. She didn't remember taking Caternity out from his hidden spot, but she gave him an extra snuggly cuddle anyway. 

Xellos was wrong when he thought she couldn't tighten her grip anymore. He feebly mewed again.

'When can Caternity meow?' Filia fully opened her eyes and saw the limp calinneko mazoku she was holding. She let go immediately and reached for where her mace normally resided. She growled slightly when she remembered she leaves it on her dresser when she goes to bed.

"Wait… *gasp* let me explain… *gasp*" Xellos sat up and held one hand up while taking deep breaths.

"I wake up to find a little pervert in bed! What more can you explain!" Filia had gotten up and was reaching for her mace on the dresser.

"It was cold out. I came in where it was warmer." Xellos said though he was still a little out of breath.

Filia whirled around brandishing her mace.

"You were the one who grabbed me!" Xellos was definitely nervous now with the approaching dragon wielding a mace.

Filia's fangs were in view and her eyes were glowing red.

"…eep." Xellos dodged the first swing and jumped off the bed. He bolted around the room closely followed by Filia.

Over the bed, under the bed, across the dresser, and behind the mirror were just a few places to name. Anything in the way of either of them met with a crushing fate with mace-sama. 

Val wasn't a light sleeper but the crashes and voices from his mother's room did wake him up.

"Filia-mama!!" he rolled out of bed and ran to his mother's door. "Filia-mama!!" he pounded on it. "Let me in!"

The room was in shambles, yet the two occupants didn't notice.

'I'm going to kill him! I'm going to kill him!' Filia thought after another ferocious swing that missed the agile calinneko. She roared and swung again never giving up in her pursuit.

'She's going to kill me! She's going to kill me!' Xellos thought after another narrow miss. He was running out of places or shields to hide. When another swing caused him to veer off his planned course he found himself skidding to a halt in front of a wall. Turning right he saw another wall and to his left was another. 

'!!!' Xellos's eyes widened when he realized he had run under a desk. With lowered ears he slowly turned around to see the advancing Filia who was now casually carrying her mace. He swallowed and backed up against the wall as far as he could.

Filia's door blew in from a green blast of magic and Val barreled in.

"What's wrong Filia-mama?!" He ignored the room rushed over to Filia. "Is someone hurting you?!" he glared around to warn anyone who dared hurt his 'Filia-mama.'

"Val?" Filia visibly calmed down enough to sigh. She lowered mace-sama and her eyes faded a little while her teeth were stubborn and stayed as fangs.

Val followed her gaze and looked under the desk. He saw a wide-eyed shaking calinneko whose ears were pressed against his head and a curled tail that had puffed up to nearly triple it's original size. "Kitty-Xellos!" 

Filia growled and raised mace-sama for another swing.

Val knew about his mother's temper, and he knew what happened to those who riled her up this much. However Val didn't want to see his new 'pet' end up as an unidentifiable smear in the next town. "Filia-mama stop!" Val reached under the desk and pulled the trembling calinneko mazoku towards him. Val looked up at his mother shielding Xellos from his mother's wrath.

Filia seemed to come back to her self and stopped her downward swing of mace-sama. She gasped and dropped it. "I'm sorry Val! I'm sorry!" Filia dropped to her knees and hugged Val.

"You didn't do anything to me, apologize to Kitty-Xellos." Val gestured to the frozen mazoku. "You sneaked him in your room, and I wanted him to sleep in my room." Val stuck out her bottom lip and pouted.

Filia was silent, still shocked that she had almost maced Val. She stared at her son and the wide-eyed Xellos who stared back with

"I'll be downstairs." Val stood up still carrying the petrified but shaking calinneko and walked out of the room.

Filia came back to herself and looked at her shaking hands. 'I will never do that again.' She vowed silently.

~ ~ ~ (I think Filia learned an important lesson…) ~ ~ ~

Downstairs Val had gathered breakfast for himself and Xellos. Val was sitting down next to the calmer calinneko.

"I think Filia-mama should be nicer to you." Val said picking up the empty dishes and putting them on the counter.

Xellos blinked up at Val and tilted his head to the side. 

"I wonder where that other voice came from." Val mused out loud absently scratching the back of Xellos's head. "Only Filia-mama and you were in there." Val paused. "But you can't talk can you Kitty-Xellos?"

"Yes I can." Xellos said, he was considerably calmed down and purring slightly.

"I though so, 'cause I heard another voice before…" Val did a double take. "You can talk!" 

Xellos nodded before stopped and he mentally winced. 'Now I'm going to get in even more trouble.'

"I don't want to leave you with Filia-mama today, she needs to calm down…" Val trailed off thoughtfully. He smashed his fist into his other hand and said "I'll take you school with me today! We have show and tell today even though we're too old for it."

"But Val… I really don't think…aaaah!" Xellos found himself being picked up and carried up the stairs. He blinked a few surprised times and then looked up at Val. "I don't think I should go to your school."

Val dropped Xellos on his bed. "Don't worry I'll look after you and protect you!" Val rummaged through his closet. "You don't have to talk at school."

"It's not that, it's the fact that I…" Xellos hopped down and walked over.

"I found it! You can ride in this!" Val dangled the shoulder bag in front of Xellos. "You can look out of it too."

"I don't think…" Xellos tugged on Val's blue shirt.

Val looked down. "I just don't want you to stay home with Filia-mama today." Val kneeled down and hugged the calinneko mazoku. "I don't want you to get hurt." 

'He may have a point…' Xellos paled at the morning's event. If it wasn't for Val he probably wouldn't have been able to escape the rampaging Filia. "Ok, I'll go with you Val." He said quietly.

Val nodded and started to gather his other things, after 10 minutes he was ready. 

"Filia-mama I'm going to school! I'm taking Kitty-Xellos with me!" Val shouted to his mother. In a quieter tone he said to Xellos while he opened the bag, "Hop in."

Xellos literally hopped from the bed into the bag. Immediately afterwards he poked his head and front paws back out. "I'm ready."

Val leapt out the window and sprouted his wings. Flapping a few times to get his bearings he flew quickly over the buildings to the other side of town.

Xellos watched the buildings speed by below. 'For only a 7 year old he learnt how to fly quickly, I thought it took dragons learned how to fly at 10.'

Soon Val circled a playground and swooped in to land. From the other kids reaction they were used to Val dropping in like this. 

"Kids come in!" A voice boomed from the tall building. "It's time for school!"

It wasn't until then that Xellos's ears dropped when he remembered. He was probably out of range of the shielding spell range on Filia now. 

~ ~ ~ (*dramatic music picks up*) ~ ~ ~

Author's Notes: Yay I'm so dedicated to my fics that I wrote a chapter even though it's almost finals and I have a major headache + braces tightening. *shows the ½ ton of metal in her mouth* ^-^ Anyway, Xellos really won't be turning into a human. Zelas wants him to stay as a ½ cat mazoku, she finds it more amusing. As I said ideas are welcome, but I have several of my own planned… And this is only the 3rd day Xellos has been with the Ul Copts, not even a week yet. 


	7. Show And Tell And A Meanie Bully *hiss* ...

Author's Notes: Wheeee! Chapter 7! *rejoicing* I'm so happy! I'm so surprised! It's way too early! And my brain is fried! *giggles* That rhymed! *looks at the clock* 3(am) o'clock and all is well! Don't take anything written in ~ ~ ~ (here) ~ ~ ~ seriously. 'K? ^_^ 

~ ~ ~ (*singing* It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine…) ~ ~ ~

"Val I really should go back to the house." Xellos whispered as he started to climb out of the bag.

"Stay down and don't worry." Val said pushing Xellos back into his shoulder bag. "I won't let anything bad happen to you." Val loosely tied the bag's flap down.

"There's a problem I forgot about, I need to go back to your house." Xellos popped his head back out through the small side hole. After less minute of pushing forward he realized that he couldn't get out of the bag, then he tried to pull his head back in but couldn't. His ears fell and he whined quietly up to Val. "I'm stuck." 

Val loosened the knot on the bag enough so Xellos could retreat back into the bag. "Try to be quiet until I let you out. Okay?"

Xellos didn't reply but managed to flip himself around so he could look out the backside of the bag. He nudged the flap open and looked out. 'I hope I'm still in range, I hope I'm still in range…' Xellos thought. He didn't want any of Dynast's or Dolphin's minions to see him like this. Not only would he be utterly humiliated, they'd take advantage of his inability to fight back and eliminate him.

'Oh did I forget to mention that Val has the same enchantment on him?' a quiet voice purred in his mind. 'It must have slipped my mind.'

Xellos sighed relieved. Trying to make the best of his situation he was able to get into a comfortable position on his back though he was a little cramped.

Val walked through the double doors behind most of the other students and hurried down the hall to his class. He slipped into his chair (2nd row 5th column) and gently but his shoulder bag down on the ground besides him so no one would trip over it. 

As soon as every student had filed in the teacher stood up and clapped her hands. "Now students today is Tuesday. It's show and tell day! Who would like to go first today?" Several students raised their hands, Val, however was not one of them. The teacher let girl to go first.

"I brought my kickball that my daddy gave me!" the girl bounced the brand new ball and caught it. 

Another student went up after the girl sat back down. "I brought a rock that I just found for my shiny rock collection." The boy held out the stone for everyone to see.

Many more students went each having something different. Val wasn't paying any attention though. He had been woken up earlier than normal and was tired. He was almost asleep until the teacher called his name. 

"What?" Val snapped awake when he heard his name.

"It's your turn. You do have something for show and tell today don't you?" the teacher asked.

"Yes ma'am. I just would like to go last today." Val replied.

"You are the only student left." The teacher smiled. "And then we go have recess."

"Oh." Val stood up and picked up the bag. He then walked to the front of the room and put the bag down on the desk. "A couple days ago Filia-mama and me found a kitty. We get to look after Kitty-Xellos for awhile." As he talked Val untied the bag and looked in it. "…he's sleeping." Val reached in and pulled out the sleeping calinneko mazoku.

Xellos let out a almost purr like yawn. As Val put him down on the desk he then blearily blinked at the class.

"You brought him Val!" Amia said from her front row seat. 

Xellos yawned again and rubbed his eye with one front hand-paw, then fully realizing he was in front of about 20 kids he stopped and just sat there.

"Very good presentation everyone. Let's go have our recess, now Val is your cat house-trained? Can we leave him in here?" 

Xellos puffed up indignantly. 'House-trained? What does she think I am? Some sort of animal?!' Xellos then remembered he was now considered an animal and became a little sulky. 

Val put a hand on Xellos's head. "I'd like to bring him outside with us Ms. Terion." He then picked up the neko-like mazoku. "He'll be a good kitty." 

"Okay. Now children if you want to play with Xellos, be nice to him. He is alive and has feelings too." Ms. Terion ushered all the children out in a line.

~ ~ ~ (Recess break! ) ~ ~ ~

Xellos decided he didn't like crowds. He was surrounded by a group of about 8 girls but he didn't count them, he was concerned about more important things, namely himself.

"Oh look at his ears! Don't they make him adorable!"

"Oh his tail is so soft and fluffy!"

"Look at the clothes he's wearing, it almost makes him look like a person!"

Xellos darted and whirled around the small area to trying to keep them from grabbing or yanking on his ears or tail. It wasn't working to well. So he then tucked his tail between his legs and huddled with his paw-hands over his flattened ears. He tried not to say anything, but he was meowing. 'I won't attack them. I can handle this.' He thought over and over. He didn't want to get in any trouble and attacking some little girls would definitely get him into trouble. 

"Get back! Stay away!" Val came and pushed some of the girls away. "You're scarin' him."

"Yeah, look how frightened he is!" Amia was right behind Val and helped get them away. 

When Xellos realized he wasn't being 'cat-handled' anymore he sighed in relief and took his hands off his ears which perked back up immediately. He stood up on four feet and walked over to Val. Xellos purred and rubbed against Val's leg instead of saying anything. 

He stopped and blinked when Amia picked him up from behind. 'What was I doing?' Xellos thought surprised. 'Did I just…' His thoughts were interrupted when Amia started tickling his stomach. 

Xellos slapped his hands over his mouth before he could laugh. He fought the losing battle for a few minutes before a merry mew escaped 

Soon Val and Amia reached the jungle gym and started to climb on it (After Amia put down Xellos of course). 

Xellos just watched the two kids after he curled up nearby. The warm sun's rays made Xellos drowsy and he soon found himself yawning and falling into a half doze sleep.

"So why'd you bring your kitty today?" Amia asked as she reached for another bar.

"I didn't want to leave him alone with Filia-mama today. She's mad, I hope she calms down so she'll be nicer tomorrow. I don't think she likes Kitty-Xellos at all." Val swung upside down and looked at Amia seriously.

"I'm sure she'll calm down. You mummy is very nice!" Amia smiled and swung her legs back and forth as she paused in her upward climb.

"Yeah." Val smiled. "I hope your right."

"Reeeowrr!" The two children looked down to see the largest kid in the class laughing as he held up the enraged calinneko only by his tail at an arm's length away.

Xellos yowled again and swiped at the arm just out of his reach. 'I didn't hear him sneak up on me!' Xellos thought as the inertia of his attack made him spin around. He knew he'd have to get the kid to let go or change his grip, his tail wasn't meant to hold his weight. And the strain was beginning to get unbearable as Xellos felt his tail stretched in a way it was not meant to.

"Put him down Derek!" Val shouted as he and Amia hurried to get down from the jungle gym.

The bully only laughed and lifted the calinneko higher. "Or what Val? Your gonna stomp me?"

When the bully did this though it gave Xellos the edge he needed. Hissing furiously, he swiped once quickly followed by another. 

"Ooooowwwww!!!" Derek dropped the mazoku and clutched his arm, which had several deep gashes, to his chest.

Xellos landed on all four feet and glared up at the boy hissing. His tail was puffed up, but hanging limply.

"Why you stupid cat!" the bully yelled as he made move to kick the mazoku.

"Leave him alone Derek!" Val rammed Derek hard from the side and they both fell down.

"I'm gonna tell on you!" Derek screamed and ran off to get the teacher.

Val sat up and rubbed his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Amia sat down next to him.

"Yeah." Val picked up Xellos when he walked over. "You'd better go before Ms. Terion comes. I don't want you to get in trouble."

"Okay, but if she doesn't believe you call me and I'll back you up." Amia rushed over to another section of the playground.

"Kitty-Xellos are you okay?" Val leaned down.

"Mostly. My tail doesn't quite feel right though." Xellos whispered in Val's ear.

Ms. Terion walked up. "What happened? Derek said your cat attacked him and then you did."

"He wasn't being nice to Xellos-Kitty. He was holding him up by his tail." Val handed Xellos to Ms. Terion after he stood up.

Xellos put on his best cute kitty expression and looked at the teacher. "Mreow?" He winced when she felt his sore tail. 

That was all Ms. Terion needed to see. "Okay I believe you Val."

She stood up and rang a bell. "Recess is over! Everyone come back inside now!" The teacher gathered the stray kids and they all walked back into their classroom.

~ ~ ~ (Yeesh, Xellos's tail seems to have taken the most abuse.) ~ ~ ~

Author's Note: Sorry if it's shorter than normal but finals have made it hard to write. *wince* And I needed a good spot to leave off. Next chapter I'll work on but ;_; I won't have word… updates will get infrequent because of my limited access to Word and other nifty features that WordPad doesn't have. 


	8. The Sea Of Legs, Chalk Dust, And A 'Mock...

            Author's Notes: *bows very quickly many times* Gomen! Gomen! Gomen! I'm sorry for taking so long! I have a severe case of Writer's Block and can't seem to write. And then FF.net went down… Y_Y *whine* Any prodding will help… matter of fact it's needed.  

~ ~ ~ (Still the 3rd day...) ~ ~ ~

            After the recess incident and a quick trip to the school nurse (Derek had a bandage on his arm and Xellos's tail would be all right after a brief rest) every student was back in class doing schoolwork.  So Xellos was able to prowl around while the students were busy though he could only stay in the classroom. 

            Currently Xellos was roaming the Sea Of Legs (human legs and desk legs) and listening to only the sound of writing on paper with pencils. Something suddenly moved out of the corner of his eye catching his attention immediately. Crouching down and looking over he saw a shoe, but the shoelaces were untied and the shoe's occupant occasionally shifted making the shoelace move.

            'Just a shoelace.' Xellos thought standing back up, however when the shoelace moved again he immediately went back to his crouching stance instinctively. And then it moved again.

            A cat instinct shouted 'It's aliiiiive!!! Attack! Attack!' and before Xellos knew it he pounced in the string. Pinning it down with his paw-hands he bit it. When it tried to move again, he thwarted its plans by clamping down even harder on it. 

Finally after several minutes of fighting it, the shoelace lay limp. It had lost the battle against him.  Letting go of his prey he stood back and looked at it. He then became aware of many of the children staring at him and a few of them were baby talking about how cute he was.  

            Gathering his dignity he sauntered out of the Sea Of Legs and to the front of the room. Sitting down out of view to all the students (behind the teacher's desk) he primly began to clean his paw.

            After he finished that he came out from his hiding place and looked at some of the shelves of the room. Math books, history books, more books, and even some more books, he walked past all of them with just one curious yet bored look.

            "Art time!" the teacher suddenly announced startling the bored Xellos who had gotten used to the near silence. 

            Ms. Terion walked over and reached up on the counter and gathered some paper and drawing materials. She gathered the work and passed out the art supplies to everyone quickly "After you are all done we'll go to lunch."

            The calinneko mazoku watched all this happen. He followed Ms. Terion back to her desk and leapt up on it. After glancing at all the random desk papers and the worksheets she was correcting he craned his neck to see what the students were doing.

            All he could see from some of the students was the most used colors were black and purple. From that however, he guessed that they were drawing him. Curiosity satisfied he looked for something else to do until the teacher gave him a polite nudge to get him off of her desk (his tail had already recovered and was swishing over her papers she was trying to correct).

            Returning to the sea of legs he wandered around until the teacher called out again. "Okay everyone put your things down and let's go to lunch." 

            Xellos watched everyone leave. There was a rule that no animals were allowed in the cafeteria, so he had to stay behind. 

            He leapt up to the counter and walked over to the art supplies. There was one thing over there that caught his attention immediately. It was a tall white container and he needed to know what was inside. (OOC Explanation: Blame the cat instincts, which are strong today!)

            Standing up on two feet he tried to peer down into the container. When he almost made it he stood up on his tiptoes tilting it more to him. He had almost seen what was inside when it pitched forward sending forth a billowing white cloud. Xellos only had time to leap back (it didn't work to well and he tripped) and call out a startled meow, which quickly turned into a cough.  

            After he stopped coughing and could see again he saw white power everywhere in that corner of the room, he was covered in it. Sniffing it, he decided it was chalk power just before he sneezed. 

            It was then the class came back in to see the mess covering 1/4 of the room.

            Getting up Xellos shook himself causing another smaller chalk dust cloud and used his best innocent cute kitty look. "Mrow?"

~ ~ ~ (^.^;;  Oh dear…) ~ ~ ~

            "Almost done." Val muttered to himself as he used the wet cloth rag and wiped off more of the chalk dust. He dipped back into the bucket and wrung it. Taking a small break he looked around the empty classroom, well nearly empty.  

            "Kitty Xellos why did you have to do that?" Val asked starting to clean more of the white dust.

            "I didn't mean too, it fell." Xellos as he sat next to Val watching him move the rag about. He himself was wondering just what had possessed him to do such a thing. 

            "Can you try not to do that again?" Val asked as he got the last bit of the chalk dust. 

            "I have no intention of doing that again." Xellos said. It had taken him quite awhile to get himself clean. His fur being the hardest to get the white powder off but luckily he wore clothes so it wasn't that bad. 

            "I finished. We'd better get home before Filia-mama gets really worried." Val threw the rag in the bucket and stretched. After working out the kinks in his muscles he stood up and started to get his stuff together.

Xellos involuntary shivered and became tense at Filia's name. He didn't want to face her at the moment. Next time he'd rather stay outside and freeze then sneak inside anywhere near her. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't notice Val had finished putting away the cleaning materials and packing his belongings. 

Val looked out the window and sighed in relief. It wasn't that late yet and if he hurried he wouldn't get in trouble. He scooped up the calinneko and dumped him in the bag before he could say anything.

Xellos nearly gave a small yelp and would've jumped if he was on the ground when Val picked him up startling out of his reverie. After he blinked and then realized he was in the bag. Getting to his feet as best he could he then poked his head out and saw Val was running down the hall at a surprising speed considering how old he was.

Val ran out of the school and into the playground. He ran up the seesaw board and leapt into the air, once again unfurling his wings.

"Maybe I can say I stayed at the playground for a little bit…" Val mused as he soared over the city.

"…" Xellos warily stared at Val's quickly approaching home.

Showing surprising control, Val flew in the window and heavily dropped his school supplies. He then closed the window.

Xellos leapt out of the bag and walked to the door. Peeking out in case Filia was about, he decided not to take the risk and stay where he was for a while.

"Filia-mama doesn't like me to do homework in my room. I have to go downstairs to do my homework." Val made a face and picked up his school bag, holding it away from him as he possibly could. He walked out of the room holding the distasteful homework at an arm's length away. 

Xellos walked back to the open window and leapt up on the windowsill looking outside at the people below. This certainly hadn't been one of his best days; then again the past few days at Filia's hadn't been one of his best either. From the way things were going, they were bound to get worse.

"I can hardly wait to see how things get better." Xellos sarcastically muttered to himself as he heard footsteps.

'They aren't heavy, so they must be Val's, Filia would walk like an elephant.' Xellos thought.

A bird flying by caught his attention (the feline side). Xellos leaned forward to get a better look putting his front paws-hands on the glass of the window. It landed on the outside windowsill twittering. 

It mocked him! Xellos stood up tail waving wildly around as he intently stared at the bird. With a flick of it's tail the bird flew off. 

Xellos heard a quiet chuckle and felt himself being picked up from behind.

Wait, Val's voice didn't sound like that… nor did he have the chest equipment…

Xellos looked up at Filia, "…"

"I've been thinking all day. I'll let this morning's incident pass, however, if I were you I wouldn't do that again." Filia said with an amused glint in her eye.

"…"

"You really are like a cat aren't you?" Filia hefted Xellos a few times bouncing him a little.

Instinctively he grabbed onto Filia's forearm, when Filia made her observation. "You don't have to rub it in so much…" Xellos whined.

"Awww… Kitty-Xellos doesn't like it?" Filia cooed walking out of Val's room to the stairs. 

"No, Kitty-Xellos doesn't." Xellos crossed his arms and sulked.

Filia's grin widened, "Kitty-Xellos isn't happy to be here?"

"I'd rather be normal." Xellos sulked more.

"Would Kitty-Xellos rather skip dinner then?" Filia mused thoughtfully out loud.

"Dinner?" Against his will Xellos's ears perked up a little.

~ ~ ~ (^-^ Awww…) ~ ~ ~

"Do I really have to go outside still? Can't I just stay somewhere in the house?" Xellos gripped the doorframe with all his kitty might.

"Yes you have to go outside." Filia said as she slowly pried Xellos's claws out of the doorframe.

"But it's really cold!" Xellos whined as he felt Filia get one paw free.

"You have fur, and it isn't winter." 

"It's still cold!" Xellos only had one paw left.

"And it shouldn't bother you." Filia got the last paw free and dropped Xellos outside.

Xellos grumbled about mean selfish dragons as he curled up near the steps and the wall.

~ ~ ~ (^-^ Seems like Filia warmed up a little…) ~ ~ ~

Author's Notes: Yay! I finally got something out! ^___^ I doubt many people will read it since it's been a while since the last chapter… But reviews will help me get back on track!


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